The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-12


numbers-the blind, the halt, the lame and
the lazy-and before sunrise on the morning
aforesaid the streets are literally filled with
them. First they make tour of the shops
and markets, and the obliging merchants,
in anticipation of their coming, have laid
by store of small coin for the occasion
To refuse to give would be bad advertise
ment, for among these professional mendis
cantS are many good customers for the rest
of the week. Then they HE themselves,
with their rags and crutches, to the sanctua-
rleS, and after mass is over and the churches
deserted they patrol every street, leaving
not house unvisited or a person unsolicit-
ed. The broken bits of bread and meat,
stumps of vegetables c'cold clothes and old
victuals," according to Mrs Partington's
Ike and other odds and ends of the house
hold are thus thriftily disposed of-for, be
sides benetiting the poor on general princi-
pies and getting rid of particular pests
whose persistence would otherwise become
annoying, the giver has the pious satisfac-
ton of lending to the Lord" and laying up
for himself treasures in heaven.
MENDICANCY AS A BUSINESS.
With their usual poetical instincts, Mexi-
cans call beggars pordiaseras-'' for-God's-
Sake"-a name not inappropriate, considering
that the mendicantS themselves always pre-
face their petitions with those words. The
vagabond fraternity of Mexico ply their
vacations with a system and aSsduity which
is consplcuously wanting in most other
branches of business in this queer country.
In the first place they are regularly Ii
censed and protected by law, and there be
ing no almshouses, are allowed to live in their
own way, so long as not seriously detrimen-
tai to the public peace. They divide every
city into districts and beats to suit them
selves, assigning to each beggar his own
particular prowling-place Should any
mendicant less honorable than his fellows
venture upon the territory assigned to an
vigorous and combined attack of iron-shod
stats and crutches, welded with will by
arms which at other times appear crippled
| TO helplesSneSs.
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
The licensed beggar is seldom imperti-
| nent, and if harshly repulsed will make you
| ashamed of your rudeness by returning il
with an obeisance worthy of Chesterfield in
| his palmieSt days and a sad but digniged
''Perdonez me, Senorita." A favorite expe-
| dent for getting rid of them during six
| days of the week is to say: NADIA hasta
Sabado" nothing until Saturday, with
which implied promise they shuttle content
| edly away. But, though you call upon the
hills and mountains to cover you, they sci
| dol fail to ferret you out on the designated
| day, and present themselves with the ut
| most confidence, expecting a double bonus
| And a failure ON your part to ''come down
handsomely" after all their trust and trouble
would be to shake their faith in human ma.
| ture and to call down upon your perjured
| head their devouteSt prayers inverted
| Worst of all are the female "for-God's
sakes, " for, understanding by instinct the
| inherent vanity of the sex, they will plant
themselves in your path Gf you be avon
| am, and, rolling up their optics as if in al
nf Hf11ir NHyt1 RI
| your grace and beauty in such exaggerated
terms that you are glad to escape at any
| price.
| LIVING ON THE NEIGHBoRS.
Anybody's doorway or arcade may be
utilized as lodging place by these ganins.
| whole families of them calmly suuattina
| upon your premises for an indefinite period
| without so much as a formal by youI
| leave and to drive off the intruders j.
| about as easy as to rid yourself of healthy
| but hungry tick which has attached himself
| TO your cults. Thousands of city vagabonds
| have no habitations except of this descrip
| ton, their earthly possessions consisting OF
one vermin-infested blanket to each adult
| which serves him beautifully as a portable
| bed, and an carthern pot or two to every
| family, in which their scant cooking is done
| perhaps on your front doorstep over a few
| dry twigs or a handful of stolen charcoal
| Indeed, the beggars are about the happiest
| people have met in Mexico, for life to them
| is one long holiday-a happy-go-hlcky ex
| istence, wholly relieved from work or wor
| ny. No carking care disturbs the serenity
| of their souls, nor vaulting ambitions, MOI
! thoughts of rainy days to come. Every one
| of them of adult age is married, and all are
/ surprisingly affiuent in ''olive brancheS:n foI
reckless Mexicans, like poor humans north OF
! the Rio Grande, rush into double blessed
| ness, quite regardless of the number of beg
| gars they may inflict upon the world Be
| sides innumerahle children, each beggaI
| possesses dog or two to share his misfor
! tunes; and l have frequently observed, as
| singular circumstance, that the deeper anc
more hopeless his apparent indulgence tbs
| greater the number of his canine attaches
LAYING SIEGE TO THE POCKET
| 1t is thus these sidewalk citizens spend
! their time in the intervals of begging
| lounging in the sunshine and goSsiping witt
| the neighbors as contentedly as the haugh
| test hidalgo whose prodigal coins support
| them. Pordiaseros, male and female, ad
| dress all ladies of whatever age or station
who come within range of their pleading by
! such endearing and familiar words a.
| "Ninan "Ninitar Girl Little Girl! Deaf
| Little GirlD In church they are particular
| ly annoying, lowering about the doors like &
| swarm OF bees, importuning all passers anC
| Fostering worshipers in the midst of theil
| prayers. The impudence of their persistence
Is only equaled by the ingenuity displayed
! in the invocations 10y which, under the gllis,
of religious feeling, they wheedle the las
| penny ont of your pocket. Upon youl
| knees in a crowded sanctuary, in the midst
| of the most solemn mass or an "Ave Maria
| Purissima," they fling themselves and theil
| filthy rags before you, and groveling upor
| the ground pour forth their petitions TO YOU
| purse in this wise: "Ninacita por ell amol
| de la Santissima Virginl By the Blood o.
| Christi For sake of the most Holy Trinity
| For the love of God and His angels! B,
the bones of the blessed martyrs!" etc, etc
through all the saints in the calendar. Il
| you be so obstinate as to go on with YOU
| devotions regardless of their prayers they
| try another tack, and appeal to your do
nestle sympathies. To men they will say
"By the soul of your wife! BY the life o.
| your sweetheartp' To women: "By the
heart of your lover! BY the life of YOU
| little child; !" and to children: by the life
of your mother By the honor of you
| fatherw A mixture of piety and superstition
makes most people draw forth their purses
| especially women and children, who are tot
! tender-hearted to resist such appeals. The
| plea that you have no small coin about yol
| is not valid excuse with Mexican beggars
| for upon such a hint any one of the half
naked rascals will dive under his dirty
blanket, and, producing a well-filled bag o.
L